Moonstar the Fall of Thunderclan
by LarkaBright
Summary: This is the story of how Moonstar rose to leadership of Thunderclan, and how Mosskit returned home. Please read and reveiw.
1. Chapter 1

The night was dark and eerily silent, as if the elements themselves were mourning Redtail's passing, marking the night with low lying white mist that crept across the camp to touch his russet fur, and a clear white moon gazing down benevolently from above. Silverpelt was clear tonight, and in vain Bluestar tried to pick out a new star among the throng, to see her faithful deputy- and more importantly, to seek out Oakheart, to see him smile and laugh and cry once more, before the end.

The leader sighed and leaned down to nuzzle Redtail's broken frame, her voice choked with emotion as she whispered,

"I won't forget you…"

She glanced up once more towards the midnight sky, her misty blue eyes reflecting the light of the full moon,

"Either of you."

She tucked her paws beneath her belly and settled down into the frosted grass, resting her head down on Redtail's cold flank and wrapping her tail around her shivering body for warmth. Leaf-bare had been hard this year, and though buds were showing on the trees, the chill had not yet left Thunderclan camp. Her mind wandered to Firepaw, the kittypet that showed such promise, and to Spottedleaf's prophecy.

_Fire….Fire will save our clan._

Could it be him?

Suddenly, a shadow moved at the edge of the camp, and Bluestar scrambled to her feet hastily, hackles bristling, and hissed quietly. Most likely it was some apprentice sneaking out to get up to some mischief in the camp at night, but with foxes and badgers wandering the territory, you could never be too careful…..

But the scent she caught from the newcomer was not fox, or badger. It was cat, a dreadfully familiar smell, an impossible smell…

"Mosskit?" Bluestar breathed, straining her eyes to see as she stepped towards the shadowy intruder tentatively, "Is that you?"

The leaders whole body shook with tension, her eyes shining with hope- hope that her long-lost kitten had finally returned to her, had done the impossible and left Silverpelt to walk the forest once more.

Then the cat stepped from the shadows, and Bluestar gasped.

It was Mosskit, grown up and dreadfully altered. Her pelt had changed from grey and white patches to bright, clear silver dappled with frosty snow-white. But most noticeable of all were her eyes, no longer the bright, clear blue of kittenhood; they had darkened to pure onyx black, like twin tunnels of despair looking out from the beautiful she-cats face. But Bluestar was blind to all this; she saw only that her beloved child had returned home.

"But Mosskit," she gasped, her eyes wide with astonishment, "You….you died, in the snow. You died!"

The strange cat that was and yet was not Mosskit turned her head to face Bluestar, her blank eyes betraying no joy at he parents presence.

"No, Mother," she said, her voice quiet and velvety, "When you abandoned me for dead in the snow, it is true that I was very close to leaving this earth. But I lived still, and when the loners straying upon your territory found me, they saw my heart still beat. They took me, tiny kit that I was, to Bloodclan, and taught me to live and breathe once more."

Bluestar stared, astonished.

"Bloodclan?" she asked, sitting down with a thump as she feasted her eyes upon her daughter's skeletal frame, "There are only four clans in the forest."

"But many, many more beyond." The cat breathed, flexing her long claws. "They cared for me, taught me when you did not."

"But, Mosskit," Bluestar began, "It was for the good of the Clan!"

"I am not Mosskit," Bluestar's daughter hissed, her pupils dilated with cold rage, "That name is gone. You sacrificed me for the clan, and so your name disappears."

Bluestar leaned forward frantically to reach her daughter, her eyes reflecting the desperation not to lose her again after so many years.

"Then what is you name?" she asked, transfixed by the cats cold gaze.

"Moonstar," the silver she-cat answered, and dealt the older queen a mighty blow with silver paws, knocking her to the ground.

She did not get back up.

As her mothers last breath rattled trough the clearing, Moonstar leapt up upon the Highrock, standing tall over Bluestar's' limp frame.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather for a Clan meeting beneath the Highrock!" she yowled, her sleek silver fur bristling.

The clan stumbled out of their nests stupidly, still groggy from their long nights rest and half asleep after the troubles of the day.

"Wha-?" yelped Lionheart, the first to see that the cat upon the Highrock was not Bluestar, "Who are you? And where's Bluestar?" He bristled, baring his long, white teeth.

"Bluestar is dead, and rightfully so, for she abandoned her kits to die in the snow!" Moonstar hissed, casting Lionheart a long glance with her jet black eyes. He collapsed as though he had been dealt a physical blow, crumpling like a broken toy upon the ground. The rest of the clan stared, transfixed by horror.

"I, Bluestar's daughter, am you new leader," The wild she-cat hissed, staring at each of them in turn, "and you will obey me."

As she stared at each cat, something seemed to leave them, the glint in their eyes replaced by a manic, fanatical gleam,

"Moonstar! Moonstar! Moonstar!"

They chanted dully, all staring transfixed at the silver queen.

"Moonstar, new leader of Thunderclan!"


	2. Chapter 2

Moonstar gazed down with quiet satisfaction at the warriors assembled beneath the Highrock. She had worked hard in the moons since her arrival, bringing in rogues and loners from all corners of the territories and….disposing of those cats she felt had outlived their usefulness. Only a very few of the original ThunderClan cats remained, and she didn't trust them- but she needed as many warriors as she could get top fight in the coming wars. Moonstar had plans….

"Moonstar," a soft voice mewed behind her, and she turned to face Brightwhisker, her medicine cat. The black and white tom gazed back at her with a respectful twitch of white whiskers.

"Dreamflight will kit soon," he rasped, nodding towards a pretty silver tabby lolling in front of the nursery, her belly swollen with kits. The sun glinted off the collar that spoke of his BloodClan heritage as he turned to watch her, his green eyes glimmering in the midday sun.

"So quickly?" Moonflower gasped, the pride undisguised in her voice. These were the first kits _her _ThunderClan would see, and they could do with the apprentices- her warriors, though well trained and deadly, were few in numbers as yet.

"Excellent." She purred, wrapping her long silver tail around her dainty white paws, "And the father?" she asked, turning back to Brightwhisker.

"Beartooth." He replied, nodding to the heavy built brown tom that had slipped through the gorse tunnel, a fat rabbit clamped in his grasp.

"Good." She mewed. Beartooth was a faithful warrior; she could do with more blood like his in her ranks.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!" Moonstar yowled, her eyes suddenly alight with the flame of battles yet to come. Brightwhisker took his customary post at the foot of the rock and waited for the warriors to assemble.

Dark Flame was the first to emerge, the rogues black and ginger stripes gleaming in the sunlight. Then came Sunstripe, Brightfang, Jackdaw….. All her loyal warriors.

"ThunderClan,!" Moonstar purred, drumming her unsheathed claws against the Highrock. "We all know that our territory is far too small."

This was resulted in loud yowls of agreement from her warriors as they leapt to their feet, already guessing what was coming next.

"Moonstar's right!" yelled Beartooth, pressing his shaggy fur against Dreamflight's silver flank. "Dreamflight's kits are on the way- we need more hunting grounds if they're to survive!"

Moonstar silenced the clamour with a flick of her tail.

"So, to survive, we need more territory!" she mewed. "The answer is clear: RiverClan had enough food to keep us fed for moons. We must claim our rightful hunting grounds if we're to survive!"

Dark lame leapt up to the Highrock's base, his eyes alight with bloodlsust.

"Moonstar, let me lead the invading party!" he begged, his whiskers quivering with excitement.

"No." Moonstar growled, and allowed her gaze to travel to the small black she-cat that sat hunched at the edge of the camp, sapphire eyes unreadable.

"Ravenflight will lead the party." She mewed firmly. The black queen might look scrawny, but she was a formidable warrior, unafraid to kill to get what she wanted. Her cold calculations was just what her clan needed- ice to cool their fire, to stop them from rushing into battle unprepared. Not that RiverClan would be able to stop them anyway, but it was best not to take any chances.

"ThunderClan," Moonstar mewed, "Today we claim what is rightfully ours."

"To me, ThunderClan!" Ravenflight yowled as she raced out of camp.

"Come, Dark Flame." Moonstar called the tom back as he went to follow. "Crookedstar is ours."

The toms eyes gleamed as he followed Moonstar, creeping stealthily through the trees.


	3. RiverClan

The yowls of battling cats filled the forest with their clamour, making the hairs on Moonstar's back bristle with the savage thrill of bloodlust as she watched her warriors fight. Ravenflight had deceived Leopardfoot into recklessness with her scrawny size, dispatching her in mid-charge with a swift blow from unsheathed claws and tearing up the tender skin around the throat as easily as aged parchment. Jackdaw had shattered the bones of Stonefur's foreleg with a crunching bite and was closing in for the kill, screeching a battle cry as he slashed at the wounded cat, and Beartooth was fighting with savage ease, letting out an uncatlike roar as he fought three RiverClan warriors at once. It was enough to make Moonstar proud of her clan, small though they were; it was only a pity they had had to leave Dreamflight behind- the silver tabby was a ferocious fighter, and though all Moonstar's warriors were much more well trained than these RiverClan fleabags, they were scarce few in numbers.

Still, Moonstar thought, not for much longer- Dreamflight was ensuring that, if nothing else.

"Come, Dark Flame," she murmured to the handsome black and ginger tabby that crouched beside her, no doubt longing to leap into battle, "Let's see if we can't find Crookedstar, hmm?"

Dark Flame let out a purr of pleasure, his amber eyes scanning the camp for signs of the RiverClan leader as the pair slipped through the fighting cats, silent as Death himself- the role they were soon to assume…..

"There!" hissed Dark Flame, pressing his flank against Moonstar to grab her attention. The mere touch sent electricity shooting through her, leaving the fierce queen stunned for a moment before she came to her senses. Later, she murmured inwardly, later.

She followed her companions gaze hurriedly, her long tail stirring up a sandstorm in excitement as she caught sight of the pale tom locked in combat with Sunstripe- Moonstar had to suppress a purr as she noticed the fierce golden she-cat was proving to be a match for the tom with the twisted jaw.

She launched herself towards the two cats, landing soundlessly next to the scene of their battle. Dark Flame landed beside her, and Sunstripe cast them a grateful glance before turning and shooting away- the leader was a worthy opponent, no doubt, and his having nine lives wouldn't help matters. Still, she knew all too well how to deal with _that._

Moonstar didn't give him time to react, striking before he got his balance once more, her paw hitting hard against the tom's weak spot- his twisted jaw. He staggered, and Dark Flame hit him from the other side, the blow landing behind his ear and ripping through the skin. Moonstar went in for the kill.

The she cat leapt forward with lithe grace, crashing into the tom face-on. Her claws found the space beneath his chin, and pushed.

The leaders head snapped back with otherworldly force, and the savage _crack _ as his neck broke sounded throughout the clearing, even above the fighting catsand clamour. The battle was over. RiverClan had fallen.


End file.
